An Umbrella Workshop & A Guild Friendship Block Exchange

This year I have these "have-to" projects that I have mentioned ad nauseum lately. It always makes me happy to consider projects for all of the time I like to think that I will have "after". Better yet is taking the time for a break from have-o's now and then. Nothing better to get ou loosens up and ready for more.

Our Textile Guild invited Joan Buse, otherwise know as "Umbrella Joan" or "the umbrella lady" to our island to teach a class. I am not a huge umbrella kind of gal, but that is partially because they tend to be so boring. Shelter from both sun and rain can be appealing at times though and I was eager to take the class. Our team leaders, Tori and Robin, helped to make to sure that we were all well prepared by encouraging us to cut out the pattern in advance of the class. Robin had made them before and so the pattern was available and she graciously opens her wonderful home to those of us who waned to her up on the pre-cutting offer. Talk about a win-win situation!

Our teacher, Joan Buse (in the image below), and her helpful spouse, Bob, arrived on the ferry at about 10:15 am and we for going. As things turned out, having the pattern pre-cut saved about 1:15 minutes. The total wonder of the class is that we ALL had our umbrellas sewn together and pinned to the frame by about 3:30!! That is about the time I generally need an afternoon respite. We all needed to do some fishing hand work at home ....nothing very taxing or difficult though. The umbrellas are treated with a water proofed before the finishing work is done. Our hardware stores were out of the best ones anyway!

Suggested options are :

Scotchguard Outdoor Water Shield

Thompsons Waterseal for fabric

Candy Hoeschen (above) was the first to complete her umbrella

and shop owner, Bonnie Turman (below), adds cheerful Pom-poems to her colorful Mickey Mouse umbrella

Blow: Brooke, crafter extraordinaire, and new sewist, finished hers in record time!

Above: Guild member...I believe her name is Barbara ...finished her colorful version

Below: Cool Strum used some of my all time favorite Diamond Textiles embossed fabric in roaring red

Lovely Diane made hers for her historical recreation work...circa 1860-ish

Below: our wunderkind sewist, Barbara Snider, made this fantasy umbrella of her grand-daughter

Below: Sheila and her version

Below: Krispi Staude made us all smile

Joan's husband, Bob, brought sound the samples....

My ' fabric find' was a brilliant cobalt blue with white lightening bolts.

A great EBay buy and made by Anthology Batiks.

In another break from the "have-to's" is quilt guild project. Friendship blocks! We have not done this sort of exchange for a long time....years really. Each month one person chooses a block design and color and those of us who have signed up make a block. Next week, July, is "my" month. In the past I was fond of asking for circles of one kind or another. Wanting o not hear sighs I chose one of my all I've favorite blocks - the versatile, traditional log cabin. I am asking for a red and white color scheme using cut 2" strips to finish to finish at 12" (12.5" unfinished). If anyone has a hankering to make one I would be thrilled to have a bit of your work in my friendship quilt! I can send you the simple directions....

Breaks over ...back to more hand sewing!

I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer (here in the northern hemisphere) and that, for us USA types, I sincerely hope that your 4th of July will be happy, safe and filled with good memories .

 

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An Unlikely Shirt Among Quilts

What?! Me wear this???!!!

This is most definitely NOT the kind of shirt that I would usually make or wear. I am not much of a floral kind of gal and I am just beginning to embrace my inner appreciation of blues (with the exception of deep indigos and navy's which have always appealed to me). That being said, yesterday I just felt a compulsion to make something wearable. Something easy, loose and summery.

I wanted something quick and something that I could make without fear of 'wasting' my 'good' apparel fabric. What I had on hand that fit that order was plain muslin...meh...and this piece of 2013 Robyn Pandolph "Notinghill" fabric that was a slight mess of several leftover pieces from a wide quilt backing. Since I had a very limited amount of the fabric left I had to address a few considerations.

• I did want the the large bunch of roses enhancing an area of me that needs no enhancing what-so-ever
• I wanted to consider a trying a few slight pattern alterations without making a muslin. Good to go! This is a very easy...yes, you can do it in two hours....pattern. Kwik-Sew K3895 which I have had for some time and meets my needs for a good "knock-around-the-house" tee.
• Since I used various sizes pieces I needed to try my best to make the front, back and sleeves look as cohesive as possible. I was able to mirror the front and back and found small pieces that would allow me to have "roses on both of my shoulders".

I sewed from the medium size this time around and :

• I raised the neckline 1/4" which worked out very well for me.
• Graded the pattern to add 1/2" to the sides as they went from the underarm seam down to the hem. Another good result.
• Added 2" to the bottom. Excellent!
• Added 2" to sleeve length. NOT good. I went back, ripped-out, and re-sewed them adding only 1/2" to the original sleeve length which was a good compromise.

I have also used the Scout Woven Tee pattern and they are similar. I like them both. For my preferences, I need to raise the neckline just a bit in both and I prefer a slightly longer length for both.

I have my eyes on the Onyx Tee. I like the small details on it and expect to buy it soon.

My quilting commitments have overtaken my life this year and it was so much fun to just "whip-up" a shirt as a diversion. Each time I sew a garment now I seem to get just a bit better at refining techniques. So no,apparel sew is a waste of time! I have a plethora of new patterns and fabrics ready to make some "new-to-me" patterns. I am so looking forward to having the time to learn some more about about sewing by making them.

As for my quilting projects:

• I have managed to keep up to date with "quilt-that-cannot-yet-be-named" projects (2 versions; traditional and modern). When you finally see it you may realize why it has been so time consuming....
• I am, more or less, up to date with my version of the "Glorious Hexagons" project.
• Just slightly behind with the "Sweet Surrender" appliqué project.
• Left behind, on the back burner, for a bit is my Farmer's Wife 1930's. I am continuing to print the patterns and read the posts but am close to 10 blocks behind.

Just a few of the latest blocks....

Above...this block looked like a frame to me and so I added my maternal grandmother, Thea Elizabeth Kavanaugh Ellery (1898-1976). It is a picture of her taken in 1916 when she was 18 and it has always been an inspiration to me just as she was.

Onwards and outwards...or maybe inwards a times....now I at least have assuaged my garment sewing need just a bit....but I need to be able to find time to try those other patterns that are tugging at me!

• Vogue 8585 loose pants that will be in blue linen
• The Sewing Workshop "Mixit Shirt"
• Butterick B6183 top with princess seams
• Butterick B6324 shirt
• By Hand London "Sarah Blouse"
• Paprika "Onyx Tee"

What has your early summer and late Spring been like?

 

• Have you accomplished what you wanted to?
• Have any great sewing patterns to suggest to me?

Enjoy the moments ...each and every one!

 

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